Giving Back

The last couple months at the Italian Club have been a whirlwind of activity!

We hosted the Festa della Repubblica Celebration, we staged our 2^nd in a series of Battle of the Bottles, we rocked at Taste Addison winning the People’s Choice Award, we’ve introduced a new format for Wednesday nights called W.O.W. (Wine on Wednesday) and on top of all of that, we’ve staged our regular events including two great Regional Cenas featuring Tuscany and Umbria.

Now it’s time for us to take a little break and to give something back.

In addition to our support of our two regular charities, the Children’s Craniofacial Association and the Special Olympics Texas Bocce Tournament, we’re extending our outreach.

Last fall we tried something new and our member volunteers found it to be one of our most fulfilling events – Feed the Troops at D/FW Airport – so fulfilling in fact that we’re planning to repeat it. 

Every day, between 150 and 250 members of the United States Armed Forces depart D/FW Airport for deployment in the Middle East.  This year, on September 12, the day after the 10^th Anniversary of 9/11, the Italian Club of Dallas will once again be feeding these heroes as they depart for the Middle East to protect and defend our great nation.  Plans are underway to give these men and women a warm and delicious send-off, Italian Club of Dallas style!

Something else that’s new will be presented at our General Membership Meeting on June 26 ~ the formation of Gli Angeli del Circolo Italiano Dallas ~ the Italian Club of Dallas Angles.  As the Italian Club, we encounter situations of Italian’s residing here in Texas who are facing extraordinary circumstances.  In the Dallas area, they have had no place to turn… until now.

I’ll be personally heading up this new extension of our community outreach and will share more details about the program after we’ve released it to our General Membership on June 26.

During our recent Festa della Repubblica Celebration at the Club, Miss Clara Vick was presented with the Star of Italian Solidarity and the title of Cavaliere (Knight) for her tireless, lifelong dedication to the support of Italian POWs.  During the acceptance remarks, her daughter Rita stated quite simply: “Mother taught us our entire lives that you give back to others without expecting anything in return… that’s just how you do it.”

Her words really hit home with me personally and they are why I’ve championed these added programs on behalf of our Club.  I know the kind hearts our members have and I know they will respond enthusiastically to support these new extensions of our current community outreach.